Contained Source Radiation Safety Training

Module 6: Radiation Monitoring Badges

Purpose of Radiation Monitoring
When Radiation Monitoring Badges are Required
When Monitoring Badges are Not Issued
Dose History at Princeton University

Purpose of Radiation Monitoring (top)

At Princeton University, radiation monitoring badges are provided to monitor occupational radiation exposure for those workers who use radiation sources under certain conditions. Princeton University monitoring badges should not be used to measure occupational doses received at any other institution or to measure doses from non-occupational sources such as medical x-rays.

When Radiation Monitoring Badges are Required (top)

State and federal regulations require that those persons who are likely to receive 10% or more of the annual radiation dose limits must be provided with radiation monitoring badges. This means that federal regulations require monitoring for any person likely to receive a whole body dose of 500 millrem or more or a skin or hand dose of 5000 millirem or more. Additionally, the State of New Jersey requires monitoring of finger exposures for persons working with analytical x-ray machines.

Under Princeton University requirements, you must wear monitoring badges if:

• You operate x-ray machines (including x-ray diffraction equipment and the Molecular Biology Department Faxitronic cabinet x-ray system)
  
• You are a Declared Pregnant Worker working in a lab where x-ray and gamma emitters or energetic beta emitters are used
  
• If you use open sources of radioactive materials under certain conditions
  
• If you use contained sources under the following conditions:

Temporary Monitor Badging

Temporary monitoring badges are available for workers whose high-level radioisotope use is sporadic. EHS maintains a large supply of temporary badges and can supply you with a temporary badge the same day that you request one.

More Information about Radiation Monitoring Badges

Additional information about monitoring badges and about using and wearing them is available in an optional Using and Wearing Radiation Monitoring Badges Module (you will not be tested on the information in the Using and Wearing Radiation Monitoring Badges Module).

Go to the Using & Wearing Monitoring Badges Module.

When Radiation Monitor Badging Is Not Issued (top)

Radiation Monitoring Badges are not routinely provided to workers who do not meet the criteria described in the Required monitoring badge section.

If you have concerns about your radiation exposure and would like to be monitored even though you do not meet the Required criteria, you may either contact EHS directly or you may ask your Authorized User or your lab manager to request badges for you. If you request monitoring badges even though you do not meet the Required criteria, monitoring badges will be provided for you for a year. After the first year of monitoring, EHS will meet with you to review your dose history and to discuss whether monitoring badges should be continued.

Dose History at Princeton University (top)

In 2000 Princeton University implemented the monitoring badge criteria described in the sections above. Prior to the implementation of the current badge criteria and over the last 30 years, Princeton University provided radiation badges to many more workers than we currently do. Prior to 2000, Princeton University provided badges to about 600-800 people a year. Typically, 90% of all monitored persons received no measurable dose. The following table provides information about doses received during the years 1996-1999:

Note: The doses marked with an * were received by a single researcher performing frequent syntheses with 5-10 mCi of P-32 at a time with extended exposure to the entire 5-10 mCi.

During this period of time, no one received a dose high enough to require monitoring under federal regulations.

This is the end of the Radiation Monitoring Badges Module, which is the sixth of the seven Contained Source Radiation Basics modules. The next module is the Working Safely with Contained Sources Module.

Go to Module 7 (Working Safely with Contained Sources)